David Hvistendahl has been a part of the Northfield scene since the 1960s. The class of ’70 Ole returned to town after earning his law degree to open an office in downtown Northfield.

What he likes best about Northfield is the people. He grew up in university towns and he appreciates the well-educated and socially-progressive population.

HMDH employs seven attorneys and six support people. After the devastating flood of just a year ago, everything is back in place and even better than before.

David really appreciated the emergency flood loan from the City. He also got financial assistance from the State for his iconic historic building. He noted that everyone seemed to pull together to help out as the waters rose.

He does see an opportunity for the Building Inspections Department to develop more flexibility in working with historic buildings, particularly in the area of access. He owns historic buildings in Faribault and notes that their City staff demonstrates great understanding of the nuts and bolts economics of historic buildings. He suggested doing what the cities of Faribault and Duluth have done: bring the staff from the State building and historic departments to Northfield for a session with City staff and local building owners to find shared solutions.

Finally, David suggests that Northfield should leverage its assets and build on its strengths for future economic development. He believes that the City should focus on supporting, expanding, and creating professional service jobs, the kind that would attract graduates from the two local colleges.